Confusing journey to find a good whey protein, for detoxing mercury and for daily protein source
by Ask a Healer
Related Reading:
Exploring How to detox amalgam mercury
Mercury Detox Rinse Review
How Long Do Amalgams Leak Mercury
This is part of an article series on detoxing mercury from the body safely and effectively. I started this research when I realized that I was probably mercury poisoned from amalgam fillings and particularly after one of the teeth with a filling cracked and I noticed a lot of symptoms indicating mercury dumping. I'm including whey protein because it naturally contains glutathione precursers and glutatione deficiency hampers a person's ability to detox mercury. You may want to start at the beginning, if you found this page by internet search:
Part 1: Detoxing Amalgam Mercury
Part 2: Mercury Detox Steps
Every time I've tried to take whey protein in the past, I've ended up with terrible gas and bloating. I took whey isolate and thought maybe that process involved hidden MSG because the symptoms afterwards were the same as if I'd eaten something with a lot of monosodium glutamate.
At that time, I was just trying to find a good protein for general health. I didn't know that whey protein (if processed correctly) was full of gluathione precursers, which can help with mercury detox. In fact, back then, I didn't even realize I need a mercury detox. When I read about the glutathione link (it takes two molecules of gluathione to help one molecule of mercury to safely exit the body) and how mercury toxicity creates a glutathione deficiency, I began to look at whey protein again.
Wow. It didn't take long to become thoroughly confused. There were so many factors to consider:
* Native whey vs. non-native whey
* Denatured vs. non-denatured whey
* Whey protein vs. whey isolate
* Cold processed vs microfiltation vs ultrafiltration vs. cross-flow microfiltration vs. sweet processed
* Goat whey protein vs. Cow Whey Protein
* Unflavored plain vs. flavored whey
I could write a page on each one of these but for now, just google the terms above to see the pros and cons of each vs. In addition to the widely studied terms above, I had further personal criteria.
1. I wanted whey that was tested to be free of mercury, pesticides and herbicides. In many of the brands I researched, I could find nothing on the website to indicate that the products were tested for these. On the websites that did provide reference to testing, sometimes it would just be for pesticides but not heavy metals. I spent a good chunk of time comparing notes on the testing alone.
2. I wanted GMO-free whey. I had to look at whether the whey was obtained from cows or goats that were fed GMO grains and whether or not bleach or acid were used in the process of making the whey. If grass fed, I had to find out if they were supplemented with grain at any point during the year and if so, if the grain was organic and non-gmo. Quite frankly, I found that most did not list their whey as non-gmo or sourced from non-gmo fed cattle or goats. If it's not on the website, I believe it probably means the whey is most likely sourced from animals whose diet is at least partially from genetically modified corn, soy or other ingredients.
3. I wanted whey from happy animals. I wanted the whey to be from grass-fed cattle or goats who were free to roam in pastures so I was looking for whey producers who worked with small farms. There is a big trend now for cattle producers to put cattle in a small little area and call it "pastured" or to put them out in the pasture an hour a day and let them spend the rest of their day in a feedlot, eating gmo grain. I like websites that show pictures of where the animals live and how they are treated. I like seeing very specific information about what they are fed and when. The Mt. Capra website was one of the few that went into the detail I needed.
4. I wanted native, nondenatured whey. By the end of my research, I had also decided I wanted whey protein concentrate, not isolate. This is because the processing required to create an isolate ends up changing the whey and I wanted as close to natural as I could get. I also wanted native whey, not whey produced after cheese making processes. I made this choice after realizing that the whey made after the cheesemaking process ended up containing other ingredients. I wanted as pure a whey as I could find.
5. I wanted whey rich in glutathione precursers. Cysteine, CLA's, lactoferrin, immunoglobulins all play important roles in immune system health as well as providing the body with the tools it needs to detoxify. Since part of my reason for researching whey (aside from the desire to have an easy source of good protein I could ingest daily) was to boost my glutathione levels for detoxing mercury, finding a whey that was high in glutathione precursers was very important to me. I wanted to boost my body's ability to produce glutathione naturally because it takes 2 particles of gluathione to take one particle of mercury out of the body so most with a lot of amalgams or leaking amalgams end up with a glutathione deficiency.
6. I wanted whey that did not contain sugar alcohols. I do not want to consume stevia, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol or malitol. Because I have reactions to sugar alcohols, even stevia, I had to read every ingredient on every product. It was a mind-boggling amount of research. Even Mt. Capra's flavored wheys have stevia (and yes, it affects me. I tried one sample of the vanilla), their unsweetened does not. I just add it to my bulletproof coffee recipe every morning and I'm good to go til lunch (with the help of a serving of organic greek yogurt).
7. I wanted nutritionally potent whey. When researching whey protein choices, one of the biggest factors for me became the potency of the end product. It really doesn't matter how good the ingredients are if they are processed at such high heat or in such a manner as to deplete nutrients, change natural structure or isolate nutrients from a synergistic natural whole. One of many reasons I chose Mt. Capra. They have a specialized refractive window technology which is the most gentle process for concentrate and dry the whey protein. Refractive window drying uses infra-red light rather than extreme heat to remove water from the whey.
Some of the companies I read about .... This is definitely a partial list. I read about so many that I couldn't remember them all but do remember Naked Whey, Well Wisdom Vital Whey, Tera's Whey, Promix, Blue Bonnet Whey Isolate, Grazing Goat, Schinoussa Probiotic Whey, Protein17, NorCal Organic, Orgain, Reservage, Jarrow, Raw Organic Whey, Bulletproof Whey and every whey product offered at the local Walmart store. While many of these whey products met a lot of my criteria (not the ones at Walmart, though), I finally settled on >Mt. Capra goat whey because it met all my criteria. I have partnered with MT. CAPRA to make these products available to you. They also use a very unique processing system that seems a lot less apt to destroy nutrients in the drying part of creating whey.
Update: I am now finishing up my 9th or 10th order of Mt. Capra Goat Whey (I've lost track at this point) and I am thrilled with the results. It is my breakfast, added to bulletproof coffee recipe, every single morning. I received sustained, noticable energy that feels incredibly good. I feel it is enhancing my immune response as well as my body's ability to detox mercury.
I am enjoying this goat whey very, very much and just keep ordering because I do not want to miss taking this nutrient-rich whey for even one day. I feel confident that my months and months of searching paid off and that I have found the best goat whey on the planet. I encourage anyone to try it!
Also worth mentioning... the folks at Mt. Capra ship FAST and they guarantee freshness and potency. They are also accessible for questions, and I always have more than the common bear. They are always courteous, quick and clear in their responses to me. Most significant for me, personally, is that I can tolerate this whey. It really doesn't matter how good a whey protein is if I suffer so much with intestinal discomfort that I can't take it. As I'm sure I've mentioned elsewhere, I have tried dozens of formulas. This is the only one that my body enjoys.
Detoxing and Cleansing Health Disclaimer:
Goat whey is often recommended for those who have dairy allergies but please note that those who are sensitive to dairy may still have trouble with whey. Goat whey may be less allergenic than whey made from cow's milk but it's still something to consider. Also, gas and bloating when first beginning whey may be due to detoxing. I did not experience this but some might. As the glutathione levels increase, one's body is better able to release toxins, including mercury, which may initially lead to detox symptoms. These should be temporary. If under a doctor's care for any known condition, it's always best to ask your doctor before adding a health supplement that may induce rapid detox.
Herpes and Protein:
If you have been diagnosed with Herpes Simplex Virus, the type of protein supplement you choose becomes important. Pea protein, hemp protein and rice protein are both higher in arginine than lysine, which means they may trigger outbreaks if taken every day. Soy protein also contains slightly more arginine. Goat whey protein, on the other hand, usually has much more lysine than arginine and is a better choice for those who have been diagnosed with herpes.
